Omg, Read this message I got from a stranger on Myspace

[holiday]

"My family and I will probably lose everything we ever worked for if Obama wins. He will tax businesses that make over $250,000 which ours does. However we only break even as is. He is going to add on an additional 30% and make us pay for healthcare to our employees which are "fly by nights" given the tourist area. Then on top of it all capital gains tax will be so high that if were to sell we would at best clear what is owed. My father was a factory worker for all the years I was growing up and he saved every penny to get where he is now...only to lose it all. My family won't be the only one to lose."



Didn't someone else the other day have a business owner pull this crap. waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh, your poor family makes over $250,000 a year (but you break even??). How about *my family* can't afford McCain's healthcare taxes!! Complete stranger.. I don't even know him

[scheming daemons]

1. It's an astroturf campaign..... I got a couple of these emails also.....

[CJCRANE]

2. There may be no economy left by the time Bush is finished nt

[tsuki]

3. Total bullshit. If he makes $250,000 profit, how does he break even? nt

[holiday]

5. I know. I'm so sick of these rich people acting like they are going

to be on the streets if Obama is elected.

What do they think us poorer people have been doing the last 8 years??

[holiday]

14. This is what I have responded with so far

First off, not a bit of this is true. You have been listening to republicans lies about Obama's plan, this is a presidential election they will tell you anything to scare you away from Obama.

Secondly, I'm not lucky enough to make over $250,000 a year, and we are going broke as it is due to REPUBLICANS ECONOMICS! We can't take anymore! Holy crap do you watch the news and see that the freaking republicans have wrecked the economy?? Do you not understand that you are saying "Sign me up for some more of that because the last 8 years have been awesome!"... My home is worth nothing now! Our 401k are almost gone because of the stock market.

[TornadoTN]

16. Anyone - rich or not - should be able to understand that Obama is critical to our economy

There are many more like us who realize that strong economy, sane foreign policy, and a strong nation will go further helping our economy and to achieve a level of equality. There are a variety of other reasons why a person should support Obama, but if it's just the fundamentals - those are some key points.

[holiday]

20. well I also added that I couldn't afford McCain's healthcare tax

and that I have a child with a rare disease... told him to cry a river to someonelse and then I pushed send... then I blocked him.

I guess they are getting scared huh,

damn I wish this was over and Obama was president already

[TornadoTN]

25. Also - send this to www.fightthesmears.com

http://www.fightthesmears.com/

Obama's staff is entrenched in MySpace and other critical communication outlets, so I'm sure they've seen it. BUT they need to know how pervasive this thing is becoming!!!!

[carnie_sf]

47. Some time on the streets

may be just what they need. Teach them some compassion and empathy.

[LSK]

4. 250,000 INCOME TAX

Are they stupid enough to not incorporate????????

[jberryhill]

12. Doesn't matter...

I make gross revenue more than that as a sole proprietor, but I know what my costs are.

He's either making a taxable income of 250K or he's not.

[TornadoTN]

21. That's because the fools who send this out have no understanding of business or economics

It's quite simple because if they did indeed own a business they would already be out of business and so disorganized that they couldn't function. Business people who understand that profit is just a part of the overall equation of business are successful. Look no further than our current economic crisis for proof of what profit and greed and have done to us.

Don't get me wrong, Profit is a key component and without it, there would be no jobs of value - but once we lose sight on the overall picture and our responsibility to the greater good of our community, we end up where we are today.

[jberryhill]

42. I actually gave my tax guy a hard time a while back...

There's only so far I'll go to squeeze out every last deduction because there comes a point at which tax games are just not worth the hassle.

He said, "I just want to make sure that Uncle Sam doesn't get any more of your money than he has to."

This was before Biden brought it up, but the fact that he brought up "Uncle Sam" as a "bad guy", it triggered my snark big time and I started asking him whether he loved America and whether he supports our troops. He's an R, and knows I'm one of those awful lefty D's, and he didn't know whether to shit or wind his watch.

Yeah, if I was obsessive compulsive, I could save a few bucks in taxes. Big deal. It's not like the money is going to what I'd consider a bad cause.

I can't figure these people out.

[goletian]

37. if hes breaking even, doesnt that mean he has no taxable income?

[maui9002]

45. Correct, assuming he understands what "breaking even" means

which is usually that business generated enough revenue to cover expenses, and as you've pointed out, that means no income to tax. I've heard similar misconceptions with respect to taxing your home (both Obama and McCain would keep current "deductibles" on taxable gains on sales of homes that exempt the first $250K of gain for singles and the first $500K for couples) and taxing retirement income (income from most retirement plans is subject to tax only when it's withdrawn from the tax deferred account, and is then taxed at ordinary income tax rates, so any increase in the capital gains tax will not affect retirement income directly). Lots of misunderstanding out there about tax policy, especially when a Democratic candidate is proposing changes.

[yardwork]

6. That's word for word very similar to the story posted here recently

Good catch.

[elkston]

11. Sounds like one of their Internet insurgent (troll) talking points (eom)

[The Magistrate]

7. Lying is An Art, Ma'am: Nothing Is More Contemptible Than A Hack Liar Like That Wretched Specimen

To lie competently and well, it is necessary above all for the liar to conceal his or her contempt for the intelligence of the person the liar intends to deceive. This one might as well be prefaced with a shout of "Hey, stupid! Ya, you, you dumb fuck! Come 'ere an lissen up!"

[TornadoTN]

8. Just a sock-puppet account. Has anyone on our side considered the same?

Except actually sending out the truth?

[jberryhill]

9. "we only break even as it is"

Taxes - UR doin' it wrong.

If he's breaking even, then he's not making $250K in taxable income.

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. The company would pay no taxes if they "break even". Who invents this shit?

[Mojorabbit]

13. I don't know exactly how Obama's plan

is to work. I am hoping he means 250,000 profit because lots of small businesses may make that much but have a small profit after expenses.

[stevietheman]

33. Income tax applies to profit, not revenue -- always has! n/t

n/t

[Ganja Ninja]

15. And thing are going so well under Republican rule.

:eyes:

[sniffa]

17. Tell him to look on the bright side

They could die in a horrible car crash and they won't have to worry about phantom fears anymore.

[wildflower]

18. Are they confusing gross vs. net?

Or income vs. profit.

I heard someone on the radio the other day saying something similar. That he barely breaks even because his expenses are as much as what the business brings in. Wouldn't that mean his proft is close to 0? Not 250,000?

[TornadoTN]

23. Brainwashed and most likely not business owners

Any businessperson worth their salt would know the difference. So this person is either A. A liar, B. A piss-poor businessman or C. Both.

[frickaline]

28. This was my question too ... I don't understand their worry

Either they are breaking even at 0 income looking at no tax increase or they are looking at a tax increase on $250,000 income.

But it can't be both.

I think I'd ask them to clear up what the real issue is because it sounds to me like either they don't understand their own finances or they hope they can snow you with some bs false argument.

[Marrah_G]

19. If they barely break even they will not have extra taxes

That 250 is profit made after all the business deductions.

[holiday]

22. This just shows what we are in for guys. They are getting mean

and ugly because they are scared shitless that Obama is really winning this thing.

I wish I could fast forward the next couple of weeks

[VWolf]

24. Exactly. My company has revenues in the millions,

but my profits have been dwindling over the last 8 years. I certainly won't have to worry about any tax increases under Obama.

[yodermon]

26. Revenue - Expenses = Profit

He thinks his revenue is being taxed.
:rofl:

[theothersnippywshrub]

27. How would it be possible to sell a capital asset and owe capital gain tax equal to the sale price?

I am beginning to understand why republicans hate capital gain taxes so much. They are so fucking stupid that they calculate and pay the tax without first subtracting their basis from the sale price.

Perhaps Palin is worshiped and adored because she is so much smarter than every republican voter.

[TornadoTN]

29. That's precisely why they use this sort of bullshit when they are desperate

I would say that the vast majority of American's have no clue what Capital Gains means, let alone any other economic term.

[holiday]

31. So now I'm wondering if this is some hoax thing that's going

around.. the guys myspace page is set to private.

here is his profile


http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=62926613

[TheKentuckian]

30. Its not revenue, its income being taxed

and you're talking probably a few hundred dollars.

I'm so sorry about his dream of a golden toilet is being deferred. :sarcasm:

I also have precious little mercy for concerns about investment income being taxed near that of earned income, what they demand is a systemic flip off to workers, even the professional class. If he's struggling its probably because he has to compete with Wal-Mart or Roto-Rooter or some kind of monolith that his own failed philosophy nourished and encouraged.

[stevietheman]

32. The message is illogical

I am a small business person.

If you "make 250,000", then that's profit, not "breaking even". And it's the profit that is taxed, not revenue. So if taxes go up for them (which they should), they will simply see a drop in the profit they will get to keep.

Please feel free to use the above as your response.

[kestrel91316]

34. One cannot both "break even" and "make $250,000" from a business.

Basic logic. And a blatant lie.

If I took home $250,000 from my business I would be living like the frickin' Sultan of Oman. These whiny-ass liars ought to try living on the pittance I do.

[goletian]

35. if youre breakin even making 250k, you might as well work min wage and stop kidding yourself...

besides, if youre breaking even, doesnt that mean your taxable income is nothing???

[Alter Ego]

36. McCain will tax employees' health care

[HughMoran]

38. Not this again

Wow, they are really spamming good if this has been posted twice.

[vaberella]

39. Didn't he hear Obama talk about the businesses that only sell in the US--Lower taxes.

I hate those do-dos. The real entities being taxed are Corporations. If you're a small business selling in the US, Obama has a tax cut for you as well evne if you are making over 250,000. That tax is going mainly to Corps.

These people need a clue. I get the feeling none of them read Obama's plan they just hearing talking points and call it a day.

[RichardRay]

40. Jesus, did ANYONE take any basic financial accounting courses

or read any books? Us or them?

1. If the business in question is a sole proprietorship it's easy to make more that $250,000 a year and have to worry about breaking even.

2. If they're grossing $250,000 and running a sole proprietorship and are worried about paying taxes on that $250,000 they really need to talk to their tax accountant (and if you're doing that much business as a sole proprietor you'd damn straight betcha better have a tax accountant). Of course, your accountant has probably been after you for years to set up a 'C' corporation to make it all easier, but you've probably not wanted to deal with the hassle.

3. I live, work and manage operations in a business that is as touristy and seasonal as anything anyone can imagine. We're going to have to change some of our policies, but we've been offering benefits to seasonal employees for a couple of years now, it won't be that much of a problem!


These people are either confused and being tooled, or they're on board with the bullshit.

[crossroads]

41. It's a ploy of the GOP! BS and bogus... got it in an email 2 days ago!

[WCGreen]

43. Look it they only break even then they would owe no tax....

It's crap...

[progressivebydesign]

44. I thought someone had to be your "friend" to message you on Myspace.

Just curious.... So.. who is that person that sent the message? Cuz you have to have an account on Myspace to send a message, and most require you to be friends to do so. So you must know this "stranger"

[TexasObserver]

46. Write back: "Have you considered a loan from the Prince of Nigeria?"

Or was he the Minister of Banking?

[gmoney]

48. why can't people tell the difference between "sales" and "profits" and "income"

Yes, a small business with $250K in SALES might, after salaries and expenses and what not, only have a modest "profit" (or zero "profit" depending on their tax structure). But a business that pays its CEO $250K is doing quite well, and the CEO will pay a higher tax (still less than during the Reagan admin)

I can't tell anymore if people are pretending to be idiots for the sake of talking points, or if they are genuine idiots.